The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1887-12-01
Presentment Of Edgefield Grand Jury

In our presentmeut at the August
term, we embodied, as part Of our
presentment, the report Of Special
Committee from our body to examine
the public offices, books, officia!
bonds, etc, and, from that report,
the Master was presented as being a
defaulter for a large amount, and the
Grand Jury asked the Court to take
such action in the case, as to protect
all parties interested therein. And
to our surprise MIR. Tompkins was
allowed to remain in office for a con-
siderable time thereafter. and we
are further informed, that Mr..
Tompkins still refuses to turn over
the funds, books, papers &c, per-
tanning to his Office, to his successor.
Now your Honor will see, some one
has failed to discharge his duty un'
der his oath of office. Now your
Honor well knows that Mr.. Thomp'
kins is liable to Indictment under
section 457, General Statutes, page
l54; ard further, under Sec. 5OS,
General Statutes, page l66, it is the
duty of the Attorney-General and
Solicitor, to sue for penalties incurred
by any public officer or board of
officers; and therefore, we respect
fully ask, that the Solicitor commence
at once in this case and we further
state that w. F. Roath, Esq, is a
material witness in this case. We
beg to impress this matter on your
Honor's attention for the following
reason. Several years ago. MIR. B.
G. Bryan, Treasurer of our County,
was reported as being short in his
accounts for considerable sum, and
the Grand Jury SO stated in their
presentment. and continued to do so
from time to time, up to the present
wear; and the Court, for some cause
unknown to US, refused, or neglected
to take any action in the case; and
now we are confronted with the fact
that an action cannot be sustained
against the sureties on Mr.. Bryan's
official bond, because they are shield
ed by the Statute Of Limitations.
Now, may it please your Honor. this
is bad state Of affairs, and the tax
payers in our County ere the suffer-
crs, and caused, too, by the very men
whom we have placed in office, and
expected them to protect the public
interest. Therefore we charge that
every Judge who has presided in our
County since the Grand Jury first
presented Mr.. Bryan's deficiency,
and also the Solicitors who have
represented the Stote as prosecuting
officer, have violated their sacred
oath of office. in failing to protect
the public interest in this case.
We further wish to call your
Honor's attention to the manner Of
paying State Witnesses at the No.
vember term, 1886, in the case of the
State against Anderson, Judge
Pressly declined to approve a large
number of witness certificates, and
they had been under bond and in
regular attendance On Court for sew
eral terms, and the witnesses thereby
suffered a great hardship. And at
the August term of this year, in the
case Of the State against VIM. Park
man, w. L. Holmes, ct. al, Judge
Wallace approved all the witness
claims. Now these discrepancies in
approving witness claims by our Cir.
cult Judges, are giving just grounds
for serious complaint, and we think
a uniform system should be adopted
by the Circuit Judges throughout the
State.
We respectfully recommend to the
earnest consideration of our members
of the General Assembly, that all
County officials he paid salaries, end
all fees as now approved by law be
paid into the treasury. We further
recommend to the consideration, that
all State and County official salaries
should be materially reduced. We
further recommend that there should
be special tax levied to the County
expenses in full at each term of
Court.
TO your Honor and the Solicitor,
we return thanks for courtesles eX
tended to US.
Respectfully submitted.
W. S. ALLEN, Foreman.
Tammany Hall.